Monday May 11

Moon in Aquarius square Sun (last quarter moon)

The last quarter moon sometimes precipitates a minor crisis of consciousness: we are releasing whatever came of the previous cycle, and preparing way for the new cycle to begin. This last week of the lunar month is about release, letting go, clearing: preparing the ground to plant seeds come the new moon on Sunday night (May 17).

Sun sextile Chiron

The planetoid Chiron is the wounded healer. When it contacts the Sun, we become aware of our own wounds, and inspired to heal. We may see our pain and struggle, see the walls and defenses we’ve built to protect ourselves, see how we have compromised and compensated in order to survive. We may understand that we did what we needed to, but now, many of those defenses no longer serve us; they are outdated habits that only keep us from love, from experiencing life fully, and from pursuing our dreams. Throughout the week, this energy coupled with the coming dark moon will help us release patterns of thought and behaviour that are no longer useful. A building trine between Venus and Neptune will help us to forgive those who caused us harm because of their own pain, and forgive ourselves as holding onto guilt is wasted energy.

Mars into Gemini

Mars joins Mercury in Gemini. Mars in Taurus can be stubborn, can feel stuck, can wonder where the money will come from and may think the only answer is to sacrifice our heart’s desire and work for the man. Mars into Gemini is lighter. We may see more options, be open to other possibilities, be willing to do the research, collect the information, reach out to others for support, ideas, to ask for help, or pitch a plan/project/partnership.

Moon into Gemini

The moon follows Mars into Gemini, bringing our emotional wherewithal to help us reach out and connect. Mars gives us the initiative and drive, and the Moon lends us sensitivity and intuition.

Wednesday May 13

Moon into Aries

The moon in Aries brings the focus onto ourselves, brings initiative for our projects, and the courage to see ourselves clearly.

Thursday May 14

Venus square North Node

We may be faced with a choice: one option feels familiar, safe, easy. The other--new, perhaps scary--challenges us to move in a direction that serves the soul. Have courage, dear heart. Move forward despite your fear.

Mars opposite Saturn

This may thwart our forward movement, frustrate our plans, or find us stuck in self-doubt or fear. We may find ourselves irritated or angered by the actions of others. Travel delays or problems with vehicles are also possible. This transit can manifest in many ways, but usually it is unpleasant. Instead of ignoring such unpleasant emotions, or pushing through any stymied efforts, go into it further, discover its roots. Otherwise it will fester and grow in the dark. Where does that doubt/fear/anger/irritation come from? We must live according to some authority, either our own or someone else’s (or the ideals we’ve inherited from our parents/culture/subculture). When we unconsciously live according to an external authority, we encounter doubt/setbacks/irritation/anger because we aren’t honouring ourselves, we are giving away our power by acting according to another’s agenda. Any aspect to Saturn is asking us to access our inner authority, and seek to live according to that. What do YOU really want? What motivates you? What do you aspire to? What are you committed to and why? Are you disciplined because you think you should be, or because you are aligned with your highest purpose?

As Mars is in Gemini (as is Mercury, the mind), the sign of communication, the frustrations may have to do with miscommunication, misunderstanding, feeling cut-off or isolated, or experiencing technology breakdowns (computer viruses, crashes, lost files, lost messages, etc.). Challenges to communication serve a purpose: to force us to look more closely at how we communicate so we can refine our ability to communicate clearly and precisely. This work is both internal and external: how do we communicate with ourselves? Do we tell ourselves lies? Are we courageous enough to see our own moral failings? Do we keep our word? Do we say what we mean and mean what we say?

Saturday May 16

Moon into Taurus

The Moon joins the sun in Taurus, bringing our sensitivity to what we value and why, and helping us to enjoy spring’s simple pleasures--the fragrant, abundant blossoms, the feel of our fingers in the earth, the satisfaction of a hard day’s work and the fruits of our labours.

Venus trine Neptune

This is a lovely aspect, heightening our creativity and appreciation of beauty. Everyday moments--the flickering light filtering through the leaves, or a stranger’s smile--may have a transcendent effect, momentarily lifting us from the banal. We may find pleasure in meditation, daydreaming, or helping others. This transit can bring greater compassion to our interactions with others. The only downfall is the potential for illusion--we may, for example, think we are more spiritual or selfless than we really are. Best is to enjoy this energy, without thinking it makes us somehow more spiritual or “better”. In fact, the energy could be used for quite the opposite: recognizing that each of us is equally human: fallible and angelic all at once. We are all unique and have purpose, and yet we are all also just one of billions, a speck of dust in the vast universe.

Sunday May 17

New Moon in Taurus

Sunday night there is a New Moon in Taurus. This weekend, go into the darkness, make space, find quiet. You don’t yet need to know what’s next. Before the New Moon, release the past. After the New Moon, set your intentions for the next cycle. Taurus is a very physical sign. Taurus teaches us to love our material, earthly existence, enjoy sensual pleasures, helps us to get clear on our values, and build (home, business, career, savings) for the future. More on this soon: I will be emailing you your New Moon Horoscopes for each sign later this week.